


The Pilot

by sobefarrington



Category: Firefly
Genre: Gen, Original Male Character - Freeform, original child character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-27 21:55:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/984059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sobefarrington/pseuds/sobefarrington
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set ten years after Serenity. The ship gets a new pilot. Sort of.</p><p>Written for Wargasms some time ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Pilot

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wargasms](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wargasms/gifts).



Mal stumbled down the passageway, through the belly of his beast. He walked barefooted through the ship with his arms bracing the walls on either side of him, swaying with the boat as it rocked and jutted it all directions. 

By the Captain’s account they should have been coasting along towards Alliance Space and Persephone. River, who’d been piloting Serenity through the last decade, had been given explicit instruction. Though Mal was certain he could rely on her to get the crew to their port safely, he couldn’t always be sure she would follow his protocols.  
Mal trudged through the holding dock, stumbling once or twice with the sway before the ship turned on its side, sending the Captain tumbling into a handful of the crates the crew were transporting.

The Captain cursed in his Chinese tongue before rubbing the back of his head. He thought the lumps and bumps were forming faster as he grew wiser.   
He rose to his feet, still weary of his footing and how the ship moved. Mal reached the steps and climbed with great concentration, his feet heavy and his head pounding. The ship swayed yet again, taking a hard right as the Captain reached the top platform. He steadied himself until the boat leveled out, able to see the door to the bridge down the long corridor from where he stood.

He kept his focus on the door while Serenity took her course at deep, nearly inverted angles. Mal felt his stomach turn with the ship, his head swimming in itself as he held tight to the walls of the hall.

Mal shifted back and forth with the sways, keeping steady pace and focus on his destination. He took baby steps, shuffling towards the door… until Serenity took a nose dive, racing through the atmo towards the moon or rock they were now destined to crash into.

The Captain tried to plant himself firmly to the floor, but failed his objective and free-fell through the hallspace, smacking the closed sliding door with his back. It slid open as the ship balanced out once more, sending the pained Mal spinning into the bridge, landing on his stomach with his head facing the culprit.

Mal groaned as he forced himself to struggle to his feet. With most of his body throbbing in pain, he wobbled towards the pilot’s seat, unable to see a soul sitting in it from behind. He ignored River, who was occupying space in the co-pilot’s chair with her hands folded neatly on her lap. 

“He’s a born natural Captain.”

River continued to stare out the window, keeping an eye on their position in case she was needed. Mal continued to approach the pilot’s chair, needing to see for himself that there was someone in the seat. An actual person and not a figment of River’s wild imagination.

Mal placed a hand on the back of the chair to steady himself and peered over the edge. He stared down at the top of the nine year old’s head. The boy didn’t look up, he kept focus on the course he’d set in his mind and flew the bird through the sky with an awkward grace.

“A leaf off the same tree.”

“River. How come you let him take the controls.”

“He asked.”

“Did it ever occur to you that letting a child fly Serenity might not be the best of ideas?”

“The child is genetically predispositioned to have an inate ability to pilot a simple craft. His skills demonstrated over the last few months have been well beyond the means of a person his age. He grasps concepts that you still have a hard time under—“

“River, River, that’s enough yappin outta you. When I want your opinion I’ll ask for it.”

“But you did ask for it.”

“From now on,” The Captain bellowed “No one under the age of River is granted permission to pilot Serenity, dong ma?”

Zoban sighed as he landed the craft, docking it to the station of their destination. He released his grip on the controls and raised up from his seat.

“Yes Captain.”

“Good. That’s what I want to hear.”

Mal patted the boy on the head and he trudged away, his head hanging, staring at his feet.

The boy left the room, discouraged. And River stood, aiming to following him.

“I’m disappointed in you Captain.”

Mal was left shocked, standing in the middle of the bridge on his own as River headed out the door and down the hallway, leaving Mal to ponder how the entire incident was somehow his fault.


End file.
